


You're My Kid Too, Aren't You?

by MusicPlayer81



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Gen, Heart to Heart Conversation, Mother Daughter Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26571103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicPlayer81/pseuds/MusicPlayer81
Summary: A rainy day outside brings Lieu to Kya's doorstep. Lieu doesn't want to disturb Kya's night in, but she's having none of it. A night where Kya gets to catch up with her adoptive daughter.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76





	You're My Kid Too, Aren't You?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rosesmallow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesmallow/gifts).



> Lieu belongs to a dear, dear friend of mine. This takes place in what I call the Chenverse, after my OC Chen Beifong. If you're interested, please check out "A Study in Understanding," "Guess I'm Going with You," and more!

Kya had always found cooking therapeutic.

Maybe it was the methodical combining of ingredients, maybe it was the time spent nurturing something to completion, maybe it was seeing the joy and delight on her loved ones faces when they all sat down to share a meal. Whatever it was, it was one of the activities she found genuinely soothing. And while tonight she was on her own since Lin and Chen were on a mother-daughter date, it didn’t mean she wasn’t looking forward to time spent on the cooktop.

She was standing in front of her pantry ruminating on what to make for dinner when she heard a knock: a steady rap with a slight falter at the end. There was only one person who knocked like that: Lieu, her newest daughter. Hard worker, brilliant detective, formidable earth bender cut from the same cloth as Lin. Small wonder she had been folded in. She walked over to find, sure enough, Lieu. Poor girl was soaked to the bone, and in brand-new civilian clothes, no less. “Hi sweetheart! Get inside, I’d hate for you to catch a cold.”

She ushered the girl inside, locked the door, and pulled the water from her clothes and hair, casting it into the kitchen sink. “My goodness, I’ve been inside all day—I didn’t realize it was raining that hard out there.”

“Neither did I. I’ve been inside my apartment catching up on work, and I didn’t bring an umbrella,” Lieu said, sheepishly rubbing the back of your neck. “I was on my way to get some groceries and I thought—I thought—“

Kya smiled. “Lieu, you do realize you don’t need a reason to see me, right?”

“I don’t?” Lieu asked, stopping for a moment. “But I don’t want to bother you, especially since, now that I think about it, it’s Saturday so Mama’s out with Chen. Oh spirits, I really should—“

“Stay over so you can enjoy a warm, home cooked meal.”

Lieu straightened up ever so slightly. “You-you really mean it?”

“Kid, I would love nothing more.” Kya clapped her hands. “Now go take a hot shower to warm up and change into some more comfortable clothes. You’re not leaving while it’s raining, not if I can help it. I’ll take care of dinner in the meantime.”

Lieu bowed her head in gratitude and set off for the nearest shower. A smile playing on her lips, Kya opened the fridge. Lieu wasn’t a picky eater, and even if she was no one could resist her take on stir fry noodles. Using kelp noodles instead of udon really added something extra. Her fingers danced over the mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, and chicken, and she grabbed them all and set them on the counter. She reached into the pantry without looking and set out the garlic-sesame cooking oil. Finally, she plucked the wok from its hook above the stove. “Let’s get cooking,” Kya breathed to herself.

Kya turned the heat high on the wok, and slowly poured in the oil. Once it was simmering, she added in the mushrooms. Once they were fried enough, she added in the other veggies and chicken, moving them around with a long pair of chopsticks until the chicken was _this close_ to done.

“Can I help?”

Kya looked up to see her daughter peering at her from the hallway, clad in a cream Zhongyi set. She waved her over with her head. “Of course. Pass me the noodles? They’re in the fridge, and they’re the last thing I need to add.”

Lieu nodded and opened the fridge. There was so much food in there—a far cry from her fridge’s usual contents of a random moon peach and a couple takeout cartons. She had the feeling this was Kya’s doing, not Mama’s. She saw a package of fresh green-tinted noodles and handed them to Kya, who gave her an appreciative nod. The noodles crisped up before her eyes, and her mouth watered at the aroma. “Wow, this smells amazing!”

“Just wait until you taste it,” Kya said with a smile. “Grab me some bowls? They’re in that cabinet, top shelf.”

Lieu did as she asked, and Kya easily portioned out the servings, grabbing a set of chopsticks for them both. “C’mon kid, let’s head to the couches. I don’t particularly feel like eating at a dining room table at the moment. Too formal, y’know?”

The young earthbender nodded and quietly followed Kya to her living room. It was spacious, with two sofas and a few armchairs, all facing a low table with a radio built into it. There was no doubt in Lieu’s mind that the piece was custom built, likely per Lin’s specifications. She settled into an armchair as Kya chose a sofa, this one leather. Kya nodded to Lieu’s bowl. “Eat up.”

Lieu curiously brought the noodles to her mouth, then grinned. “Spirits, these are good! What type of noodles are these, I don’t think I’ve ever had them in a stir fry before.”

“Thought you’d like ‘em. I use kelp noodles made in the Southern Water Tribe enclave, which adds a little extra saltiness to the food. Goes well with the rest of meat and vegetables I put in there, or at least, that’s what I think.”

Lieu nodded as she delightedly slurped up her noodles. “I’d agree. So how’ve you been? Things on Air Temple Island going well?“

“They are. We just had a new class of air benders start, so we’ve had a couple concussions, but that’s to be expected. What about you? How’s the Force?”

Lieu lit up and began animatedly talking about her job, about the cases she was working on, and didn't stop until she realized that Kya wasn't responding. Instead, she gazing at her, a fond smile on her face. “Oh, do I have something on my face? Sorry, I know I ate fast.”

Kya chuckled. “No, you’re good, sweetheart. You just—you remind me so much of Lin. You’re _so_ much like her, did you know that? Hearing you talk is like hearing Lin as a detective all over again.”

Lieu blushed and looked down. “No, no, I’m not like Chief, not at all.”

Kya raised an eyebrow. “Oh? How so?”

Lieu sighed and ran a hand through her dark curly hair. It was damp still—as much as she wanted to fix her hair into her signature wolf tails, she couldn’t, not just yet. Not unless she wanted hair tie marks in her hair, and she definitely did not. “She joined to make a difference in our city. I joined because….because…..well, I needed money. I wasn’t drawn by serving so much as the fact that it gave me a steady paycheck, solid hours, and a place to sleep while I was in cadet school.” She looked anxiously at Kya, who was peering closely at her. “Please say something. I just—please—“

“Raava, you’re _way_ more like Lin than I thought.”

Lieu’s eyes widened and she cocked her head to the side. “What? But I just said—”

Kya gently took Lieu’s empty bowl from her hands and put it on a side table, afterwards patting the sofa as an invitation for Lieu to move closer to her. “Kid, how much do you know about Lin’s career?”

“That she’s been a part of the force since the minimum age required to be a cadet, and even then she helped out the other officers before that as much as possible.” Lieu crinkled her forehead. “But I don’t understand what that has to do with—“

“Honey, Lin didn’t join because she wanted to. She felt like she _had_ to.”

Lieu blinked, stunned. “What?”

Kya sighed. “Toph wasn’t exactly the best parent….or really the most involved. With her being absent so much, Lin never really felt like she knew where she stood with her mother. Lin wanted her approval so, so badly—and she thought that the only way to get it was to follow in her footsteps, and be the best metal bending officer her mother had ever had.”

“Did she ever get it? Surely she must—she’s the Chief, I mean—”

Kya sadly shrugged her shoulders. “I honestly don’t know—I never saw her after she left for the Spirit Grove, and it’s not something that Lin talks about. But I think it took Chen being born for her to realize that she didn’t need it.”

Lieu’s heart stung for Lin. For a woman who gave so much of herself to others, and never to have the same reciprocated, not even from her own mother…

But there was Chen. And Chen was nothing if not adoring and supportive of those she loved. Small wonder she stopped seeking her mother’s approval, if she had it unconditionally from her daughter. “Chen does have that effect on people, making them see their self-worth. I know she’s done it for me.”

Kya smiled. Lieu was right. Chen had been a good influence on her—her caring nature had helped Lieu become more confident and open around family, and the more she saw Lieu, the happier she was. “Yeah, I lucked out getting her as both a niece and a step-kid.” She reached out and gently cupped Lieu’s face. “I also lucked out getting you too.”

Lieu’s breath hitched in her throat. “How? I mean—you really—“  
  
“Yes, I really do. Lieu, you are kind, honest, brave. You have so much of Lin’s passion for helping and protecting others, it’s honestly incredible to me that you didn’t find your way to each other sooner.” Kya brought her into a hug. “You’re such a good person, Lieu. _Such_ a good person. Don’t you ever forget that.”

Lieu sunk deeper into the hug. “Thanks, Ma.” She flung herself out of the embrace. “I mean Kya—I mean—“

Kya chuckled and pressed a kiss to the flustered girl’s cheek. “It’s alright. You’re my kid too, aren’t you?”

The earth bender smiled, a warmth seeping inside her bones. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

“Thought so,” Kya grinned. She began gathering up their dishes. “Hey, put the radio on, would you? I can teach you how to play pai sho in a way that will absolutely _infuriate_ your other mother.”

Lieu’s eyes crinkled. “I would love nothing more.”


End file.
